Sparking mechanism for explosive-engines.



I G. GERMANI SPARKING MECHANISM FOR BXPLOSIVB: ENGINES.

AP-PLIOATION FILED SEPT.B. 1908.

927,346 Patented July 6, 1909.

\ 4' JILL-K" NAZ /III Y A5 half/665565 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

'GUS'IAVQ GERMANI, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TORAFFAELE ZANGRILLI, OF BITT-SBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

sPAnKINGMEonAnIsM iron. nxrLosrvn-nnemns,

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1909.

Application filed September 8, 1908. Serial No. 452,099;

new and useful Im rovements 1n Sparking Mechanism for Exp os1venigines,of which the following IS a specification, reference bein had therein tothe accom an in drawin sparking in plan.

My invention refers to mprovements in mechanism for eX-plosive'en gines,as gas or 011 engines, and. it has for its object to provide m'eanswherehy'an initial ignition may be provided hy manual operation througha generator actuated by any suitable means as for instance the ordinarycrank em-- ployed for starting the engine'shaft, or. any suitablehand-operated mechanism; with means for coupling the generatorautomatieally with the motor shaft and for automat cally uncoupling fromthe preliminary actuator, so as to produce continuous genera- .tion ofcurrent and a resulting spark during the o eration of the motor, asshall be more fullyliereinafter described.

In the drawings:Figure I'represents a diagrammatic arran ement of theapparatus, Fig. 2-is a detail in elevation, partly in section of one ofthe driven wheels for the generator shaft. Fi 3 is a cross sectionalview on the line IILTII. of Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I propose to employ any suitableeneratorasa dynamo 2 connected hy suitalfie conductors with the sparkplug of an engine or motor 3 as will be readily 11mlerstood, and for thepurpose of continuously driving the generator during the running of themot or,,the generator shaft 4 is gearc with motor shaft 5 by heltorother suitable connecting means 6 running from driven wheel 7 to drivingwheel S.- Mounted on generator shaft 4 is a secondary handoperatedwheel. 9 geared by belt or other means 10 with a hand-actuated wheel 11,loosely mounted on motor shaft 5 concentric with wheel 8 and normallyfree thereof. The relative proportions of wheels 7 and 8 and 9 and 11respectively to each other, are regulated by the speed of the actuatingelement, 'L. a, motor or hand mechanism, so that the generator shaft. 4may be actuated at the desired speed to make a current producing spark.Hand-actuated wheel 11 is normallyfree on shaft 5 or an extensionthereof and 15 provided with an operating handle 12 of ordiby interposedmeansmay be employed as ordinary n ary construction forcranking andintermediate clutch mechanism 13, whereby the wheel 9 may beindependently rotated and upon thrusting wheel 11 into gear with wheel 8the motor shaft 5 may be cranked until the motor is started, after whichits shaft 5 will rotate independent of hand wheel 11. The detailconstruction of these parts may he designed to suit conditions bythedesigner of the mechanism and will he understood without furtherdescription.

Driven wheels 7 and 9 are generator shaft 4 that one or so geared withthe other will,

the shaft and the armature of the generator,- hut will become uncoup The0731' ect of this construction is that, during the preliminary sparkingliy hand, shaft 5' and shaft 4 may lie rotated by hand-actuated wheel'11 and grespectively, power driven wheel 7 remaining unclutched, due tothe fact that it rotates slower than wheel 9. "heel 11, loosely mountedon shaft 5, is thrust intoclutch-engagement with wheel. 8 (keyed toshaft 5) by clutch 13. Rotation of wheel 11 drives motor shaft 5 and itswheel 8, and also rotates lioth wheels 9 and 7 by their lfelts 10 and 6.heel 9 rotating faster than wheel 7, actuates shaft 4 and produces thespark resulting from operation of wheel 11. Thereafter the motor willopcrate, due to the spark, driving its own at inore asing shaft 5 andwheel 8 and '7,

speed, whereupon wheel 9 will automatically relieved, wheel 7 engagingshaft 4 ax-y its clutch mechanism and wheel 8 running at a faster speedwill hecome automatically un' coupled from wheel 11, the motorcontinuing in the same manner until the spark is interrupted. Theoperation dependent upon the automatic coupling in and uncoup mechanismof wheels 9 and 7 with shaft 4.

In order to provide such automatic coupling and uncoupling mechanism,any suitable ratchet shown in the drawings a series of eccentricallycams 14 mounted lay their terminal hearing studs 15 in hearing plates16, 16, at each side of the huh 17 of wheels 7 and 9, the construction.teing the same in each. a is rotated in the gearing, out I have devlceemploying a mounted. rollers or direetionof the arrow,

Fig. 2, rollers 14' i 'll grip againstshaft 4 in clutch mechanism,actuate led from the shaft when the shaft rotates faster than saidwheel.

too

By this arrai'igement as wheel 7 wheel 7 in the meantime Beinginoperative,

rotative-engagement with it, rollers 14 of actuating the generator untilsuch time as the motor 3 commences to run, whereupon shaft 4 will beautomatically gripped by the rollers 14 of wheel 7, and wheel 9 willecome inoperative, coincident with the termination of the crankingoperation:

The earns 14 are pivotally mounted 1y their terminal bearing studs 15 inthe plates 16, which as shown inFig. 2 are secured to the hubs 17 byscrews or other suitable means. These plates 16 constitute the housingsfor the cam roller grips, and will certainly and positively operate inthe manner stated. That is to say, either wheel 9 or wheel 7 whenrotating in the direction of the arrow Fi 2 will )ositivelv ri) the D 7l v shaft 4, out when the shaft. 4 is rotated faster than either of saidwheels 7 or 9, then such wheel will become uncoupled from the shaftautomatically, due to the faster rotation of the shaft. It will also beseen that each wheel will, as actuated, rotate independently and shaft 4will he automatically uncoupled from the other wheel without friction,or lost motion or any hack action. It will also he understood that anyother means may be employed instead of the cranking lever and its wheel11, as-in the case of an automatically starting motor, when the wheel 9may be geared with any separate actuating hand-operated means.

The operation of the invention will he readily understood by all thosefamiliar with the construction and operation ,of explosive engines, asused with automobiles, motor boats, etc. It obviates the necessity ofoatteries and reduces the equipment and power plant .to a unitaryminimum.

Having described the invention, what I.

1. Means for starting anexplosive motor consistingof a generator, meansemhodying cam grip mechanism for positively coupling said generator withthe motor and for automatically uncoupling therefrom, independentactuating mechanism, and separate means embodying cam grip mechanism forpositively coupling the generator with said independent actuatingmechanism, and for automatically uncoupling therefrom. v

2. Means for starting an explosive motor consisting of a generatorhaving a shaft, a driving wheel fixedly secured to the motor shaft andgearing connecting said wheel with.

a gripping wheel loosely mounted on the shaft of the generator forcoupling said generator with the motor, and for uncoupling therefrom, anindependent actuating wheel and gearing connecting it, with a grippingwheel flooselyz. mounted on the generator shaft for coupling therewithand uncoupling therefrom, said generator shaft wheels having means forautomatically uncoupling either of said actuating wheels from the shaftupon independent positive rotation of the .other wheel.

3. Means for starting an explosive motor having a shaft consisting of agenerator having a plurality of loosely mounted driving wheels andautomatic locking and unlocking mechanism therefor, a driving wheelmounted on the motor shaft and geared with one of said wheels, a secondwheel mounted for independent hand operation, and means for operatii'elyconnecting it with the motoractuated wheel, sulstantially as setforth.

f- The com ..-ination with a motor and its shaft and a generator and itsshaft and connected sparking mechanism; of a plurality of wheels looselymounted on the generator shaft provided with means for gripping saidshaft in one direction and for being released therefrom when said shaftis rotated in the same direction, a driving wheel secured to the motorshaft having clutch mechanism and geared with one of said wheels, and anindependent loosely mounted wheel provided with a crank and clutchmechanism, geared with the other of said wheels, substantially as setforth.

5. The combination with a motor and its shaft and a generator and itsshaft and connected sparking mechanism; of a plurality of wheels looselymounted on the generator shaft provided with gripping cams arranged toengage the shaft in one direction and to he released therefrom when saidshaft is rotated in the same direction, a driving wheel secured to themotor shaft having clutch mechanism and geared with one of said wheels,and an independent loosely mounted wheel provided with a crank andclutch mechanism, geared with the other of said-wheels, suhstantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of'two witnesses.

GUSTAYO GE lt'MAX l. Witnesses:

R. M. PASETTI, C. M. CLARKE.

